More than 31,000 homes and businesses in Brisbane’s inner south-eastern suburbs are set to benefit from an ongoing series of Energex electricity upgrades.
The area incorporating Coorparoo, Holland Park and Camp Hill has several projects currently underway and is one of the largest coordinated electricity upgrades undertaken by Energex in suburban Brisbane for a number of years.
This injection into the Energex network will cater for future business and residential growth, especially in Brisbane’s inner south-eastern suburbs.
The projects are designed to significantly increase the electricity capacity and improve the reliability of supply to the area, which Energex’s asset manager for Metro South Russell Cross said is expected to soar in the next decade.
“This part of Brisbane is one Energex has been monitoring for a number of years and we have seen electricity consumption increasing at figures well above the national average,” Mr Cross said.
“Much of this will be due to the continuing rise in domestic air-conditioning penetration, which now stands at close to 75 per cent in the area. Across Coorparoo, Holland Park and Camp Hill, there are around 42,000 air-conditioning systems installed in local homes and according to the latest Queensland household energy survey this is tipped to rise to nearly 57,000 systems within five years.
“The area is also expecting a great deal of commercial growth and public infrastructure in the coming years, which will require an electricity network of greater capacity.”
The projects include new 110,000V and 33,000V underground power cables and the replacement of 11,000V overhead powerlines. These combined multi-staged projects will cost approximately $85 million.
Work will continue in these areas during 2013 and 2014.